Automobile antenna



Jan. 2, 1951 s ow 2,536,053

AUTOMOBILE ANTENNA Filed Sept. 17, 1948 INVENTOR 77.

ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 2, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE AUTOMOBILEANTENNA Joseph Grashow, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application September 17, 1948, Serial No. 49,697

20 Claims.

, This invention relates to automobile antennas of the kind which may beszcured in an opening formed in an automobile body by means manipulatedsolely from the exterior of the car. The application is a continuationin part of the application of Joseph Grashow, the present inventor,relating to automobile antennas, Ser. No. 12,749, filed March 3, 1948,now Patent No. 2,509,563, granted May 30, 1950.

- An object of the invention is to provide at low cost a simple andsturdy antenna structure which clamps in a suitably located opening inthe body of an automobile, the antenna being designed so that oninsertion from the upper surface of the automobile body of a portion ofa clamping apparatus at the base of the antenna, into the antennaopening, manipulation of other cooperating clamping means from the uppersurfaceof the car is efiective to permanently secure the antenna to thecar body. This arrangement is'a great time saver where automobile radiosare installed on a production basis.

- :With the present invention, installation or" supporting brackets,adjusting antenna clam ing nuts in cramped quarters, for instance,underneath the cowl or fenders of a car is entirely eliminated. Assumingthat a suitably located hole has been bored in which the antenna is tobe inserted, and perha s a second hole in the fire wall if needed forthe coaxial cable to pass through, nothing else is required but toinsert the antenna, which already has a coaxial cable length attachedthereto into the opening therefor and tighten an ornamental nut on anexternal portion of the antenna and the antenna is secured in position.

The invention will now be described with the aid of the accompanyingdrawings, of which Fig. 1 shows a preferred form of the invention,partly in section as it appears in working position;

Fig. 2 is a section taken through 22 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 isan exploded view of the antenna. 'Referring now to thedrawings, the antenna comprises a supporting sleeve H) formed with athreaded portion H and with flattened sides i2. A tube of insulatingmaterial I3 having a turned over top portion l4 fits snugly into thebore of sleeveill with the turned over portion l4 resting against thetop of the sleeve. When thus assembled, an opening IS in the insulatingtube is positioned to register with a corresponding opening IS in thesupporting sleeve l0.

.- An antenna 20, preferably of the telescoping kind has a hollow basesection 2|..formed with an opening 22. A short length of. metal rod 23-as a stop for the next upper section 25 of the antenna when the antennais telescoped.

The antenna and stop 23 are assembled so that their respective openings22 and 24 are in register and then the base section 2| is insertedthrough an ornamental lock nut 39, a supporting ring 3| and a gasket 32into the insulating tube 53, the parts being positioned so that openings22, 24, Hi and i6 are in register. The antenna base section 2|, theinsulating tube I3 and the supporting sleeve lfl being proportioned sothat these parts fit rather tightly together and they are securely heldin position when once assembled 24 and 22 just referred to and which isof suchlength as to be flush with the flat sides l2 of the supportingsleeve H).

A pin 35 extends through tube 24 projecting somewhat beyond oppositeends thereof. A pair of independently movable flat bars 35 and 31 arepivotally mounted on opposite ends of the pin 35, the pin being peanedover to retain the bars thereon and also hold the bars in contact withthe respective flattened sides of the supporting sleeve i9. By formingthe sleeve with fiat sides against which the fiat bars 33 and 31 rest, acompact structure is provided, and the arrangement will pass through amounting hole only slightly larger than the outer diameter of sleeve HiThe sleeve In as shown in Fig. 1 projects beyond the end of antenna 20and stop member 23 leaving a recess 38 at the bottom of the tube forreceiving the terminals of a coaxial cable 38 the outer terminal 33 ofwhich is frictionally held in recess 38 by punched flaps 42] whichyieldingly engage the bore of the tube. The stop member 23 is bored outat 4| to receive the central terminal 42 of the coaxial cable 38 whichmakes contact therewith.

The antenna according to a preferred embodi-v ment of the invention ismounted as shown in Fig. 1. Before mounting the antenna, the coaxialcable 38 which connects the antenna to the radio apparatus, not shown,is first inserted in the recess 38 at the lower end of tube Ill. Theantenna is thrust through the gasket 32, the supporting ring 3|, and thenut 3% in the order named. The supporting ring 3| is formed with aslanting under surface, conforming to the curvature of the automobilebody, in order to support the antenna in a substantially verticalposition. The latter is provided with a rubber gasket 44 which tightlyfits about the antenna when finally mounted to exclude moisture. Thepivoted arms or bars 36 and 31 are then turned so that they lie alongthe length of tube ill to permit insertion of the greater portion ofsleeve Ill aswell as the pivoted arms and the coaxial:

cable into the opening 45 formed therefor in the car body 45. The sleeveIt is inserted until the upper ends of bars 35 and 3! lie justunderneath the surface of the car body 45. Some small object, such as asmall screwdriver is then used to turn the bars 35 and 3'5 through asmall angle so that the corners or perhaps a portion of their sidesengage the under side of body 45 when tube It! is drawn upward. Assumingthe bars are thus turned a trifle on their pivots in either direction,then upward manual pressure will cause the bars to turn so thatdepending on the curvature of the car body they will assume a positionsomewhat as shown in Fig. l. The gasket 32 may then be suitably adjustedto fit underneath ring 3|, and nut screwed on to the threaded portion 5i at the upper end of sleeve ill partially clamping the antenna inposition. By rotating the antenna in one direction or another about itsaxis, and also turning the assembly therewith, a position will be foundin which the antenna will lie in substantially vertical position. Whenthe pin 35 lies along or parallel to a substantially horizontal diameterof the hole 45 in the car body 45, the antenna may be clamped insubstantially vertical position. When the antenna is set in asatisfactory position, nut 33 may be tightened securely clamping the carbody it between gasket 32 and the arms 33 and 3?. It will be noted thatthe entire antenna is held assembled by a single pin 35 and insulatingsleeve 36 and that this same pin provides a very strong pivotal supportfor arms 35 and Si which is desirable since the nut 35 when tightenedexerts great pressure through the arms 35 and 3'? on the under surfaceof the car body. With this arrangement arms 3b and 3? provide the groundconnection for the coaxial cable thus further simplifying theinstallation of the equipment and completely shielding the antennacircuit.

What is claimed is:

1. A radio antenna structure for automobiles and the like adapted to bemounted from the upper surface of an automobile in an opening in theautomobile body which comprises an antenna, a sleeve adapted to bepartially thrust into the opening, independent clamping means disposedon opposite sidcs of the sleeve adapted to be carried thereby throughthe opening operable from the upper surface of the automobile forengaging the under surface of the automobile body, and a common memberfor securing the antenna to the sleeve and pivotally supporting theclamping means.

2. An antenna structure for automobiles adapted to be factory assembledinto a single unit for mounting without dismantling in a single roundmounting hole in the body of an automobile from but one access surfacethereof, said structure comprising a single straight sided metallicmounting sleeve adapted to be inserted part way into t; e mounting hole,a whip-type antemia having its butt end secured in one end of the sleevebut insulated therefrom, a coaxial conductor for connecting the antennato a radio apparatus having one terminal connector secured in theopposite end of the sleeve, the conductor being insertable through themounting hole in advance of the sleeve portion, a plurality of elongatedclamping members on the sleeve disposed initially in co-alignment withthe sleeve so as to be. readily carried thereby from the access surface.through the mounting hole, the members being thereafter displaceablerelative to the sleeve to engage the opposite surface, a nut threaded onthe sleeve for exerting pressure on theaccess surface to tighten theclamping members against said opposite surface, and a pin extendingthrough the sleeve for supporting the clamping members.

3. An antenna structure for automobiles adapted to be factory asssmbledinto a single unit which may be attached to the body of an automobile ina single round mounting hole from but one access surface thereof, saidstructure comprising a whip-like antenna, a coaxial cable for connectingthe antenna to a radio apparatus, a single unitary metallic mountingsleeve adapted to be thrust part way into the mounting hole, the buttend of the antenna being secured in one end of the sleeve and in theopposite end one terminal of the co-axial cable, clamping means mountedon opposite sides of the sleeve adapted to pass with the sleeve from theaccess surface through the mounting opening and thereafter beingeiiectivc to engage the opposite surface of the automobile body, a nutthreaded on the sleeve for exerting pressure on the access surface totighten the clamping means against said opposite surface and a pinextending through the tube for securing the butt end of the antennathereto.

4. An antenna according to claim 1 in which the sleeve is insulated fromthe antenna. by a tube of insulating material.

5. An antenna according to claim 1 in whichthe clamping means comprisemovable members mounted on the sleeve and adapted in response toclamping pressure to adjust themselves in accordance with the contour ofthe adjacent surface of the automobile body.

6. An antenna according to claim 1 in which the clamping means comprisetoggle arms.

'2. A radio antenna for automobiles and the like which comprises asleeve adapted to be partially inserted into a mounting hole in the bodyof an automobile, an insulating tube disposed within the sleeve forsupporting the antenna, a pin extending crossways through the tube andsleeve. adapted to pass through the mounting hole when the sleeve isbeing installed by being partially inserted therein and clamping meansmounted. on the pin for securing the sleeve to the body of theautomobile.

8. A radio antenna for automobiles and the like-which comprises a.sleeve, aninsulating tube. disposed within the sleeve for supporting theantenna and insulating the same, from the sleeve; a pin extendingthrough the sleeve, and clamping. means comprising movable membersmounted on opposite ends of the pin for securing the sleeve to the bodyof an automobile.

9. An antenna according to claim 8 in which the clamping means comprisearms pivoted. to the pin near opposite ends thereof.

10. An antenna according to claim 8 in which the pin extends through thelower portion of the antenna but is insulated therefrom.

11. An antenna according to claim 8 in which. the clamping meanscomprise arms pivoted to the pin near opposite ends thereof and in whichthe pin extends through the lower portion of theantenna.

12. In a radio antenna, a supporting device posite sides thereof,movable clamping members mounted on the respective flattened portionsadapted to pass through the mounting hole when the sleeve is partiallyinserted therein and thereafter to be displaced manually from the uppersurface of the automobile body to engage the under surface of theautomobile body, and a nut disposed on the threaded portion of thesleeve for bringing the clamping members into engagement with the undersurface of the automobile body to clamp the sleeve thereto.

13. In a radio antenna, a supporting device adapted to be attached tothe body of an automobile by clamping the same thereto immediatelyadjacent to a mounting hole provided therein which comprises asupporting sleeve adapted to retain the butt end of the antenna formedwith a threaded portion near its upper end and flattened lower portionson opposite sides thereof, movable clamping members mounted on therespective flattened portions adapted to pass through the mounting holewhen the sleeve is partially inserted therein and thereafter engage theundersurface of the automobile body, a nut disposed on the threadedportion, a supporting ring having a slanting under surface to compensatefor curvature of the automobile body disposed on the sleeve immediatelyunder the nut, the nut when tightened being effective to clamp theautomobile body between the clamping members and the supporting ringthereby securing the sleeve to the automobile body.

14. In a radio antenna, a supporting device adapted to be attached tothe body of an automobile by clamping the same thereto in the areaimmediately adjacent a mounting hole provided therein which comprises asupporting sleeve adapted to receive the butt end of an antenna formedwith a threaded portion near its upper end and with flattened lowerportions on opposite sides thereof, an arm pivoted to each flattenedportion adapted to fit closely against the fiattened portions so as topass through the mounting hole when the sleeve is inserted part waytherein and thereafter to be displaced on their pivots crosswise of thehole to engage the under surface of the automobile body, and a nutdisposed on the threaded portion of the sleeve for clamping the armsagainst the automobile body.

15. An antenna structure adapted to be mounted on the outer surface ofthe body of an automobile provided with a mounting hole extendingtherethrough, which comprises an antenna, a mounting sleeve thereforhaving a threaded upper portion, clamping means movably mounted on thesleeve below the threaded portion, the clamping means being movable topass through the hole on the insertion of a portion of the sleevetherein while the threaded portion of the sleeve is kept above the uppersurface of the automobile body, a nut on the threaded portion of thesleeve effective to cooperate with the clamping means when tightened togrip respectively portions of the upper and lower surfaces of theautomobile body therebetween and thereby secure the sleeve to the body,and a pin extending through the sleeve for securing the clamping meansthereto.

16. An antenna structure adapted to be mounted on the outer surface ofthe body of an automobile provided with a mounting hole extendingtherethrough, the structure being designed to be attached from the uppersurface of the automobile which comprises a mounting sleeve, an antennahaving its butt end disposed therein, clamping means comprising a pairof movable members pivotally mounted on opposite sides of the. sleeveadapted to pass through the hole on the insertion of a portion of thesleeve therein and thereafter being displaceable to engage the undersurface of the automobile body adjacent to the hole, means operable fromabove the upper surface of the body of the automobile for bringing theclamping means into tight engagement with the under surface of the bodyof the automobile and a common means for fastening the antenna andpivoting the clamping means to the sleeve.

17. An antenna mounting for automobile antennas and the like comprisinga sleeve, toggle members pivotally supported by the sleeve on oppositesides thereof, a single insulating tube extending from one end of thesleeve part way along the interior thereof for supporting the butt endof an antenna and connector means at the opposite end of the sleeve forreceiving a terminal plug of a coaxial conductor.

18. An antenna mounting for automobiles and s the like comprisin asleeve, a toggle bolt device comprising a pair of arms respectivelypivoted to opposite sides of the sleeve for securing the same to thebody of the automobile, an insulating tube closely fitting the interiorof the sleeve extending from one end the greater part of the length ofthe sleeve for supporting the butt end of an antenna, and connectormeans in the opposite end of the tube including the portion of thesleeve beyond the insulating tube for receiving a coaxial conductor.

19. An antenna mounting for automobiles and the like comprising asleeve, toggle members comprising independent pivoted arms carried bythe sleeve on opposite sides thereof, a single insulating tube extendinfrom one end of the sleeve part way along the interior thereof forsupporting the butt-end of an antenna, connector means in the oppositeend of the sleeve for receiving a terminal plug of a coaxial conductor land a pin extending through the sleeve but insulated from the antennafor securing the antenna and toggle members to the sleeve.

20. An antenna for automob les and the like including a supportingstructure comprising a generally straight sided sleeve, toggle memberscarried by the sleeve on opposite sides thereof, a single insulatingtube extending from one end of the sleeve part way along the borethereof for supporting the butt end of the antenna, connector means inthe opposite end of the sleeve including the portion of the sleevebeyond the insu ating tube for receiving a coaxial conductor, and acommon member for pivotally supporting the toggle members and fasteningthe antenna to the sleeve.

JOSEPH GRASHOW.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,939,983 Karitzky Dec. 19, 19332,224,023 Sayen Dec. 3, 1940 2,252,671 Ludwig Aug. 12, 1941 2,365,886Lehmann Dec. 26, 1944 2,468,391 Cejka Apr. 26, 1949 2,473,141 FriedbergJune 14, 1949

